Dodd Middle School Student's Musings

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Monthly Archives: March 2017

So I know what ya’ll were probably thinking when you first heard the title, “What’s so important if there’s a hard game that tests knowledge?” Except this post is about something totally different and more serious. I’m talking about Autism, a mental condition, present from early childhood, characterized by difficulty in communicating and forming relationships with other people and in using language and abstract concepts. Also about special needs, a particular educational requirements resulting from learning difficulties, physical disability, or emotional and behavioral difficulties. Yes, you’ve probably heard before, “Every kid is special in their own way,” but what does it actually mean when people refer to special needs children. “This means any kid who might need extra help because of a medical, emotional, or learning problem. These kids have special needs because they might need medicine, therapy, or extra help in school — stuff other kids don’t typically need or only need once in awhile.” You may be thinking, “So what? I know what that is, but what more should I know?” Yes, you may know what is is, but no one I’ve ever met has ever had a full understanding of it unless they have a connection with someone who has it. However, whenever I touch this sensitive subject it’s as if people want to avoid it or just leave it out of the picture, but the truth is you can’t.

Again I know some of you reading this know not to tease or think less of the special needs, which means you were taught right. On the other hand, some are less fortunate to not have. So, when they see someone talking differently or having a helping teacher they point and laugh, but once they find out what they have they immediately stop. That’s the problem no matter if they have specials needs or not they’re human. They’re just like us and all they’ve ever wanted is to be treated the same way as everyone else. I know it may seem like I’m ranting on and on about a subject you may not care about, but I do. Why do I seem to care a lot about this matter? Is it because I want a good grade, or is it because my parents forced me to? The reason I care so much about this matter because all my life I’ve lived around special needs.

So what’s the point of this ongoing blog post? Well it’s me telling all of you to become friends with a special need. Please don’t let them wander the halls, eat alone at a lunch table, or to find that all the people they thought were their friends made nasty jokes about them behind their back. All I want is for you to open your heart to someone who needs it truly. Now is that too much to ask? I’m not asking you to dis all your friends, but to simply to make them feel accepted or hang with them with your original friends. If you think it’s too much of a risk because you might be judged by your friends, then I guess you gotta ask yourself this question, are you hanging around the right kind of people? Another question you might want to ask yourself if you would get embarrassed being seen with a special needs kid is, what kind of person does that make you?

Over the years, the number of concussions in the NFL has increased massively. Between 2014 and 2015, the concussion percent rose over 30%. The most common reason for concussions in the NFL is head on head contact, which is why they banned “head slaps” for good. The NFL continues to think of new rules and policies that could possibly decrease the amount of concussions. For example, they’ve advanced the “roughing the passer” penalty to make it more strict and inclusive, as well as the “unnecessary roughness” penalty. So the question is, what are more effective ways the NFL could further prevent concussions?

In my opinion, the only reason NFL players still occasionally “bump heads” intentionally is because the consequence is bearable and not intimidating. The highest penalty for “unsportsmanlike conduct” is 15 yards in the current game. I think the consequence should be more lasting and punishing. I believe if a player is clearly headbutting on purpose and continuously, there should be talk of a possible suspension. The only thing 15 yards accomplishes is maybe a yell from the coach, but a short 1, maybe 2 game suspension will surely prevent players from making the same mistake. Also, most players keep quiet if they notice double vision, blurriness, or other symptoms of a concussion. They would rather play in the game and not miss any opportunity to compete. If players told someone right away if they were experiencing any symptoms, it would prevent their concussion from getting even worse. Even if this strategy won’t technically prevent concussions, it would stop the players from making the injury even worse. If a player notices any concerning symptoms, they should tell their coach immediately. Lastly, there are some ways players could prevent concussions by just being more aware on the field and knowing some strategies during play. All in all, even though the NFL has managed to decrease concussion numbers over the years, I think with these strategies, they could really put NFL concussions in the past.

Within the past three years, 100,000 elephants were killed, mutilated, and stripped of their ivory tusks. Everyday, poachers are looking for more. In 2011, one out of every twelve elephants was killed. Because of these illegal killings, Africa’s population of elephants has decreased 64% over the past decade. The illegal killings of these creatures has caused a worldwide outreach to stop it. A company called Ivory Ella was created last year by five entrepreneurs with a mission; to save elephants all over the world.

Ivory Ella makes clothes advertising their message to all. They make clothes in an effort to bring all people together and lead them to support their community. Ivory Ella donates 10% of their net profits to Save the Elephants, and organization built on the goal of putting an end to the illegal killing of elephants. On every shirt, the company shows their logo, along with a patterned elephant on the back. This aids in their mission to spread the word about elephants, and help protect them.

In my opinion, Ivory Ella’s mission is imperative toward saving the population of elephants in our world. Without their support and donations, the amount of African elephants left would be a decision made by poachers. But poachers aren’t the only possible threats. Others include habitat loss, fragmentation, and overgrazing. Habitat loss is caused by new farms being built. With the assistance of Save the Elephants and Ivory Ella, these threats become less of an issue. They spread awareness and let you know what you can do to aid in the fight for elephants. For more information on how to help save the elephants, visit the link below: Save the Elephants

Just last week, January 20, 2017, Donald Trump officially entered the White House for four years. Not even a week being in the White House, Trump has already suspected voter fraud. On Monday, he called for a “major investigation” because he believes that millions of people have voted illegally. Back in November, Trump won the role of president by a majority of electoral votes (33 votes). Many questioned Trump as he won his role of presidency by 16 votes, why he even was running for president. Prior to running, Donald Trump hosted a reality television show, The Apprentice, for 11 years. He also is a successful businessman as he has built many office’s, casinos, golf courses, and much more. So why did he run for president? According to the NY Times, Trump ran in an effort to gain stature. Cleary, Trump has but is slowly losing it as he said that there have been a mistake in votes. So far, he has not cited or proven any key evidence to why this is possible. Over the course of two tweets, Trump wrote, “I will be asking for a major investigation into VOTER FRAUD, including those registered to vote in two states, those who are illegal and … even, those registered to vote who are dead (and many for a long time). Depending on results, we will strengthen up voting procedures!”

But what if Trump only won president with the help of voter fraud? Why would he be pointing this out? Trump exclaims that he is confident in his win and even if there was a voter sham, he still would’ve come out on top. “You have people that are registered who are dead, who are illegals, who are in two states. You have people registered in two states. They’re registered in a New York and a New Jersey. They vote twice. There are millions of votes, in my opinion,” stated Trump. Later he went on saying to various media reporters that he wants voting to be legitimate and real because voting for a president is a serious topic to discuss and vote on. Though he is right about voting being a serious deal, why wouldn’t voting be legitimate? Trump said that he does not want anyone to be registered in two states, or dead people that are registered or illegals voting. This is accurate, but this doesn’t mean that at least 15 million people voted illegally this past year. Still no evidence has been proved but Trump still believes that he is correct. The new president has had a hard time grasping that others don’t have the same view on this topic. ABC’s David Muir told Trump that the author of the report found no incriminating evidence. Donald Trump later called him “groveling”. Just because the proof from the report doesn’t match his opinion doesn’t mean that David Muir is lying.

Trump has decided that he would like to speak with Republican Lawmakers in Pennsylvania and consider the best way to go about this problem. Hopefully there aren’t any further problems similar to this with Trump when he is in the White House. Who knows what’s in store for the United States for the next four or possibly eight years.

Imagine in sitting soft sand, looking out at crystal clear water, filled with exotic fish, turtles, and coral. What more can you ask for? You can get all of this within U.S. territory and only a short, 5 hour plane ride away, in the U.S. Virgin Islands. The U.S. Virgin Islands are a series of islands just East of Puerto Rico. The islands in this territory are St. John, St. Thomas, and St. Croix. I have traveled to both St. Thomas and St. John, and I can speak from experience and say that they both were unforgettable trips definitely worth taking.

There are lots of different lodging options when staying in the U.S. Virgin Islands. You could stay in a beautiful resort, with private beaches, pools, and a glamorous suite with a view. You could also stay in a vacation rental, with a short walk to the beach, total safety and privacy, and plenty of space. These different hotels and vacation rentals also come with a range of prices to accommodate you and your financial needs. As you can see, the US Virgin Islands offer several different lodging options, but wherever you decide to stay, there will be always be a beautiful view!

The food in the U.S. Virgin Islands is amazing everywhere you go. They serve quite a lot of fish and seafood. Seafood is often served with “johnny cakes.” They are made with flour, baking powder, shortening, and salt, then fried or baked and are quite popular on the island. Calallo soup is another popular dish, which is made of leaves from a daheen plant mixed with okra, local herbs and often various meats or seafoods. While, the islands have their own exotic kinds of food, they also serve a lot of American food, so don’t worry, it is not hard to find a great burger!

Going to beaches is obviously the most popular thing to do when visiting the islands. There are several different kinds of beaches you can go to depending on your needs. Magen’s Bay, in St. Thomas is a very family friendly beach. They offer a clean, and well managed food and beverage concession stand, clean changing rooms and stalls, lifeguards who are trained and certified in American Red Cross, and of course, stunning, crystal clear water. Salt Pond Bay, on St. John, is beautiful, with unique coral and fish, but is not recommended for families. To get to the beach, you have to take a 15 minute hike, which is downhill on the way down, but is uphill when you are leaving. There also is very little parking, so it is recommended that you get there early, or else you will have to park in the street. And while there is one bathroom, it is not cleaned on a regular basis so can be very disgusting. Beautiful beaches are what these islands are known for, so do some research prior to your trip and find the one best for you!

Besides going to beaches there are plenty of other exciting, or relaxing activities you can do! One exciting, and unforgettable activity you can look into is scuba diving. The Aqua Marine Dive Center, in St. Thomas, is an international scuba school, that also offers yacht charters to the best scuba spots around the islands. Although this would be a breath-taking experience, it is pricey, and not great for kids. Another incredible experience that I was lucky enough to experience was the Virgin Islands Ecotours, located in Charlotte Amalie, in St. Thomas. First, you will kayak through the beautiful mangroves to your snorkel spot, then you will snorkel through crystal clear waters and learn about the unique wildlife you are seeing. On my ecotour I saw an octopus, which I will remember forever! It’s also okay if you have never been on a kayak before, or have never used snorkel equipment before, you will have an amazing tour guide, that will help you every step of the way!

I hope some day you have the chance to experience these incredible islands, because you will be wowed by what an amazing time you will have. If you would like to look further into this vacation spot, visit http://www.visitusvi.com/ for more information.

Many people probably didn’t even know much about this country until Trump was running for America’s President in 2016 and we all threatened to move there, or when Drake released his newest album. Besides these reasons, what is the first thing that pops up in one’s head when they think of Canada. Most people would think of Canadian Bacon, Maple Syrup, and any other Hockey Team that’s not from America in the NHL. But besides that, most people in the world and especially Americans probably don’t know anything else about this country; disappointing. Most think many stereotypes about Canada such as “riding a dogsled to work everyday.” but, why not learn about another country so you won’t think it’s just “your friendly neighbor up north”, and “break” the stereotypes given to this country. For starters why not talk about everybody’s favorite part when visiting the country is its capital. The capital of Canada is Ottawa, which is located in in eastern Ontario and is close to the Quebec border. In any capital there is always something to do. For starters, Ottawa has a great diversity among people who live there. Much of the people speak English and French, but one in five of the people from the city are from a different country, which means Ottowa is quite the diverse city. Besides being a diverse city, Ottawa has the world’s largest ice skating rink Rideau Canal. This ice rink offers something in those cold winter months that shouldn’t be missed. On average there are about 19,000 visitors that come to the rink and the best part is that it is free! If you forget your skates or don’t have any you can rent them there as well. This one wintery activity that nobody wants to miss, just make sure the ice is in good skating condition before going. Another great pace to tour in Ottawa’s Parliament Hill. Parliament Hill is where the federal government of Canada. This building is overlooking the Ottawa River. This building is has and interesting style called Gothic Revival and it is really a striking work of architecture in the heart of Canada’s capital. There are three separate parts in the building which incorporate the same style of architecture. This building has been through a lot though in its pass. In 1916, a great fire swept the building and the only room saved was the library. And most importantly, every July 1, thousands of people gather at this special building to celebrate Canada Day. The final interesting place to visit in canada is the Canadian mint. Now I know from personal experience what it is like to go here, because I have been here myself, but I have got to say this is gotta be one of the coolest places I have ever been. Not only does this museum give tours, it talks about Canada’s rich history and how it became to where it is today. This is where Canada’s beautiful coins are made and they even show you how. The also show collectible coins that are super cool. Inside the museum at the end of the tour there is also a 24k brick that you can attempt to lift, (its quite heavy). Overall I definitely recommend the Canadian mint. To conclude this long blog about Canada, and what to do in its capital Ottawa, I am proud to say that I wish I could go back and visit again and again. Canada is quite the lovely country with such a diverse culture, that it’s impossible to get bored there. Canada’s capital itself has got some of the greatest places to tour in the country and if anybody could go and visit Canada, well then you should.